Sirroco

The man himself,Errol Flynn,a heck of a life,he died when only fifty.

Sirroco was here in Cape Town,an entry in the Cape To Rio ocean yacht race,was it in 1974? she was one of the larger yachts,grouped in with the fleets largest yacht 'Greybeard' 90ft long and had to be berthed at the north end of the Duncan Dock,not a great place to be in a south wester or north wester,she was a great boat to look at,being high up on the quay side,it was easy to look the decks over from above,I seem to remember she never started the race?

Roy
December 6th 2008,some feedback from Ian Allen,down in Picton, South Island,New Zealand.

For the record, Sirocco arrived in CT at the end of 1975, in good time for the 1976 Rio Race - the one we sailed Jenny Wren in and, I think, the same time that you joined Peter for the trip back in Brer Terrapin. One of the guys on Sirocco made T-shirts with a picture and the name of our yacht, Carina, printed on them. He did this all on board.
Cheers,
Ian

Ian & Paula Allen ian.allen@xtra.co.nz
The Gables info@thegables.co.nz
Web Site www.thegables.co.nz
Tel / Fax 64 3 5736772






The Man
Errol Flynn was born in June 1909 in Hobart Tasmania and died in October 1959. He was a rowdy youngster and found ways of getting into trouble. As an actor, he was the ultimate swashbuckler, a rebel who loved freedom, a fighter against injustice and a heartbreaker. Flynn, the man, was ardent about boating, drinking, fighting and sex. He was a rogue and delighted in this. The actor was a defendant in three statutory rape trials. His career fell into decline. He had problems with the IRS and lawsuits, but before he died, he was making a name for himself as a serious actor, not just a role playing buccaneer.

He bought a yacht, the Sirocco, but sold it after the war. It was the scene of some of his famous orgies. He bought a new boat, the Zaca, also called the Black Witch, which also was the scene of his wild parties. Among his guests were major stars of the cinema. He had affairs with many women and he liked the young ones. His last romance was with sixteen year old Beverly Aadland.

His finances were in such poor shape that he decided to sell the Zaca shortly before his death. The prospective buyers invited him to a party. He said he did not feel well and died of a massive heart attack on the boat he loved.

Eerie Phenomena
The new owner sailed the Zaca to Europe where it broke down, then rotted in a shipyard in the French Riviera. During these years, people reported seeing Errol Flynn’s ghost walk the decks. Usually, his phantom was seen during twilight. One man who saw the specter jumped overboard and was in a state of shock when others found him.

A skipper of another boat heard music and women’s laughter and voices as if a party was happening on the Zaca. Lights were going off and on. No one was aboard. The boat had no electricity hooked up.

The shipyard owners decided to repair the Zaca. Before they did so, they decided to have an exorcism done. A boat painter who had seen Flynn’s ghost took a model of the Zaca to a church in Monte Carlo for the rite. Others who had witnessed Flynn’s phantom were present. The ritual was performed by a Catholic Priest and an Anglican Archdeacon.

During the service, the boat painter groaned and slumped forward in the pew, but quickly recovered.

All who attended the service felt it was a success